Katy Perry

fun faith fact! The middle child of Pentecostal pastors, began her professional career in gospel music

A hugely popular recording artist with limited exposure to mainstream music in her childhood, Katy Perry shot to stardom in 2007 with her controversial single I Kissed a Girl, and has only flourished since.

To date, the only artist to spend 69 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100 chart, Katy's childhood was spent singing in her church choir and a brief gospel career before bursting onto the pop culture scene and taking charge with her booming voice and matching stage presence.

Many of Katy's projects involve charitable endeavors and fundraising efforts, including UNICEF, Autism Speaks, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She confirmed in her film Katy Perry: Part of Me that, while less devout than her pastor parents, she has a close one-on-one connection with God and follows Transcendental Meditation, maintaining that a sense of accountability with a higher power keeps you grounded.